


Super Heroes

by Engiffyserce



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M, Multi, Old work, kinda cheesy tbh, super hero AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-27
Updated: 2014-11-14
Packaged: 2018-01-26 17:38:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1696769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Engiffyserce/pseuds/Engiffyserce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was nearing Ray’s one year anniversary with Achievement Hunter. During those months, Joel found himself in a close friendship with the younger man. He was funny, witty, and had an infectious smile. There was a downside, though. With all his perks, there was something about the gamer that always bothered the middle-aged man. Of course, Ray himself wasn’t the problem.</p><p>The problem was the physical abuse he took. If only Joel knew how other worldly the answer was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was nearing Ray’s one year anniversary with Achievement Hunter. During those months, Joel found himself in a close friendship with the younger man. He was funny, witty, and had an infectious smile. His looks weren’t too bad either. A soft, rounded face with a lovely tan hue to his skin, hair jet black with a scruffy jaw line making him look all the better.

There was a downside, though. With all his perks, there was something about the gamer that always bothered the middle-aged man. Of course, Ray himself wasn’t the problem.

The problem was the physical abuse he took.

Everyday the young man would come in to work with another injury. They ranged from light bruises and scrapes to major gashes and broken bones. Some days the Puerto Rican could barely walk. And every time it happened, it was after the day he was excused from work early. Gavin would almost always leave with him, though only come back with more minor scrapes and a scowl directed towards the younger. Everyone took notice, but nobody could get an answer out of them. They tried, but they would shrug them off. Joel was worried about Gavin too, but Ray had the more serious effects coming from the situation. He’d never answer a single question. Gavin would at least talk about some of it. (Which still wasn’t a lot) The younger man  wouldn’t reach out to them, even if the person was shoving the opportunity in his hands. Many gave up, but others didn’t plan on relenting, ever. Joel had become one of those people.

He would take Ray out to lunch and dinner constantly to ask him questions. Most of the time it would just turn into the elder offering his couch after a long night of dead ends and little answer to any of it. Joel usually chalked it up to he could at least watch over the younger man and treat his wounds as needed, which was pretty much all the time. Other nights he would invite the tan skinned man to lay in bed with him, especially when the pain that held to the younger’s face was so strong, Joel could barely stand it. But, then there were the nights that Ray stalked off, not listening to the older man’s calls or pleas to come back or get in the car. Those nights were the worse.

Joel also found himself believing Geoff knew something about it. Even though Ray and Gavin would be pulled into Burnie’s office by the older achievement hunter often, they would always come out apathetic and unchanged. Whenever either of the younger gamers were hurt or left, it was as if it just slipped off of his shoulders. Like none of it bothered him. Joel would confront the older man often, only to get a shrug and a ‘don’t think on it so hard’.

It was maddening.

Joel sighed, leaning on his desk with his elbows, rubbing his temples. It was early morning and he was the only one in the office. He was behind on a few things and had no choice but to come in early. Ray had stumbled in yesterday afternoon in terrible shape. The middle-aged man had begged the younger to go to the hospital with him, but was dismissed quickly. Joel had complained about it to the others and most agreed, but couldn’t get the Puerto Rican to go anywhere but to the couch in the Achievement Hunter office. Joel sat with and comforted him, letting the younger man’s head lay in his lap. The two had dozed off and let both of their work-loads fall behind.

Ray was supposed to come in as well. This was good for Joel because he could try and ask about it all again. The older man stood from his desk, taking a short walk down to the kitchen. He grabbed a mug, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He was mixing his cream and sugar in when the door chime alerted him of another body entering. He picked up the drink and moved towards the building entrance. It was a pleasant confirmation for a certain hunter to walk in. Ray was wearing a dark, long sleeve shirt with beige cargo pants and strange, uncharacteristic fingerless gloves placed on his hands. He looked tired and had a slight limp, but other than that he seemed alright.

"Hey, Ray," Joel greeted, moving up to a conversation distance. Ray gave a smile, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, visibly wincing. The older man gave a sympathetic look. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, well, y’know, the best I can feel I guess," He answered with a slight shrug, keeping his eyes trained on his shoes.

"How bad is it this time?"

"Not that ba-"

"Don’t lie to me."

Ray gave a sigh. “Pretty bad. I broke a couple ribs and there’s a lot of deep cuts and bruises.”

Joel rubbed the back of his neck, giving a huff. “Do you need anything?” He asked, voice low and mellow. Ray gave another smile, amused by the calmness that was the man in front of him.

"Yeah. I decided to tell you why-"

Suddenly, he was cut off by a loud bang and the rumble of explosives.

Things were surely kicking off for the two of them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reposting these is the work of Satan

Everything became a daze for Joel. He was lying on the floor now, knocked onto his side. All he knew was that he had been in the RoosterTeeth office with Ray. Then, some loud bangs, bright lights, and someone standing over him was all he could remember. He groaned softly, rubbing his eyes. That’s right, somebody was above him. He seemed too tall and muscular to be the other worker, so who was it?

Joel lifted his hand away from his face, willing away the swimming from his vision. It took a moment for it clear enough to see, frustrating the older man. When the body in front of him came into a fuzzy focus, he was taken aback. This man was clearly defending him, taking the brunt of the damage. He was shaking and breathing quite heavily. But-It wasn’t just a stranger, it was Ray. Ray, the small, fragile looking kid who had had a job with them for a little over a year. Ray, that kid that used memes and stupid phrases for the ironic purposes. Not this strong, protective person who was now dressed up for the occasion. Wait-

      _What?_

He was wearing a tight jump suit that was tinted a dark green with black and white stripes running against the side hems up to his looser collar. It zipped up in the front and had some Velcro covering the actual teeth. The finger less gloves now covered up to his wrists and decorated daggers sat in his palms. He wore dark hunting boots that ran up to almost knee length. He was standing over the older man, watching something beyond the now broken glass doors. His breathing was hard and body shaking. There was a dark red liquid dripping from the blades. It was-

      _Oh god._

"R-Ray!" Joel called out, forcing the name harshly. His throat had become sore, probably from the dust being so thick in the air. The younger turned around and looked down. His eyes were ablaze with a rage that the older man had never seen before. His dark irises seem to glow with a bright red hue-It was so bright. The elder soon realized that they were glowing. He gave a gasp.

"Stay low and don’t move until I say so," Ray growled, though it was probably unintentional. Joel blinked, trying to rid the rest of the fogginess around his vision. The younger leaned down and grabbed his arm, pulling up with such a surprising force, the other had to take a step back to balance.

Just as he planted his feet, he was shoved into Gus’s office, the door slamming in his face. The older man cursed, finally coming to his senses. He reached for the doorknob, trying to turn it a couple times. Nothing. He studied the lock, noticing it locked from the outside.

      _Fucking hell, Gus._

The great race to find the key commenced. Joel rummaged through every drawer, finding nothing but office supplies and an assortment of little knickknacks, obviously sent from adoring fans.  Noises erupted from the other side of the door, making the older man frantic to find that key. Moments passed before he realized his partner’s paranoia could be used to his advantage. He always had a spare key. Joel went over to the door frame and felt along the top edge. The metallic object brushed his fingers and he scooped it up, quickly bringing it down and shoving it into the lock.

With a quick turn, he pushed the door open, emerging just enough just to catch a glimpse of Ray crashing on the ground, bloody and beaten. There was someone standing to the side of him, handgun pointed in his face. He was hooded in dark red and black garb. The middle-aged man’s heart sunk.

"No!" Joel screamed, rushing forward to jam his shoulder into the assailants chest. With a grunt from the cloaked person and a yelp from Heyman, both tumbled to the titled floor. Joel fell, his head hitting the siding of the Achievement Hunter doorway. The gun was knocked away and slid towards Ray. He groaned, vision going blurry again. The attacker growled, revealing a knife. He staggered over to the dazed man, kneeling down to press the blade to his throat.

"Did you enjoy dying for nothing?" He chuckled darkly.

_This was it._

For Joel, the world stopped. Everything was painted in a soft, white light. It was euphorical. All that he could hear was his slowed heart beat and breathing. Things were going to end quite nice, the older man thought. He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable. Moments went by with not a sound. He didn’t feel anything at all.

_Am I dead?_

When nothing happened, he opened them again, trying to focus. There was a gun shot and someone fell to the side, away from him. Another was screaming. Screaming out to him.

 

**_Jo-_ **

 

_Who?_

 

_**Joe-** _

 

_Joe?_

 

_**Joel!** _

 

_That voice-_

 

"Joel!" Ray yelled, shaking him slightly. The older man blinked, finding himself looking into the bruised and worried face of the young gamer. "Come on, we got to get out of here."

He was dragged to his feet, stumbling after the fast Puerto Rican. They moved outside, stepping around the torn up asphalt and selective fires. It was like a scene from an apocalypse movie. Trees, metal fencing, and a fire hydrant were destroyed, allowing debris and water to litter the whole parking lot they used to know so well.

Interestingly enough, Joel’s car had been untouched except for a few stray scratches and dents. It was an older stick-shift; something used solely for getting to places. Ray made a bee line for the vehicle. He seemed confident in his long strides. The older man would never been able to do that in this situation. It was like his injuries weren’t even phasing him.

That conclusion didn’t last. The younger crumpled when he reached the vehicle, latching a vice like grip onto the top. His breaths became very shaky and his his knuckles washed white. Joel grimaced, coming over to his side, latching his arm around the waist of the younger man.

"J-Joel," He stuttered, grasp not letting up on the car. "C-Can you drive?"

The older man nodded, pulling Ray into a tighter hold, pulling his free hand into his pocket to retrieve the car key. When he was done fishing, he brought them out, pressed the unlock button, and opened the passenger door.The Puerto Rican let go of  the metallic shell, using what little strength and balance he had to plop down into the suede seat. He hissed in pain when his shoulder knocked into the dash board. With some sympathetic and encouraging words, Joel helped him swing his legs into the car, shutting the door softly.

He limped around the car, speeding up the pace when the distant sound of sirens rang through the air. He did not want to get caught up in the police right now. He opened the door, coming to stand by the entrance of the vehicle. He gave himself a moment to clear his mind, trying his damnedest to rid of the pounding in the back of his head. Valuable seconds went by before he returned to the task at hand. SIrens sounded in the distance, alerting Joel that he needed to get out of there.

But, what was the full scene of the devastation? What really happened? Out of curiosity, he looked over the bonnet, eyes widening. He could have been brought to his knees and vomited all over.

It was horrible.

Bodies littered the area, gushing crimson blood, painting the area a sickening red. The Austin heat was making the stench of death almost unbearable. There were at least twenty dead, conservatively. It made Joel’s stomach do flips. And it was even worse to think that Ray had killed all of them. His friend, protector-

   _Superhero._

Joel shook his head, internally cursing himself out for thinking such things. He climbed into the car, shutting the door behind him quickly. He strapped his seat belt on and inserted the key. With a flick of his fingers, the ignition roared to life and the older man wasted no time to throw it in reverse and started out of the catastrophic-looking area. He shifted  into first gear and moved to the exit of the parking lot, avoiding as much debris and as many bodies as possible.

Once they got out, Joel quickly sped up, turning away from the devastated entrance. He stuck to the back roads, avoiding any cameras and prying eyes the best he could, especially when the exited the inner city. Even though his car looked more natural in the city then anywhere else right then.

 "So, where are we going?" He asked, eyes trained on the road. Ray shifted in his seat a bit, throwing his back up against the arm rest.

 "To Geoff’s," He answered, staring down at the newly acquired phone in his hands. His thumbs glided over the digital key board, sending out messages at a rapid pace. Joel didn’t even need to read them to know what they were about. Instead of worrying about that, he looked over the younger man quickly, noticing how tense he was. His vision was directed outside, unwavering except for the rare moments of replying to a text. He was obviously still running on adrenaline and a suspicious amount of whatever power shone through his eyes earlier. None of this stopped the excruciating pain the gamer was in though. Joel would grimace every time he heard Ray whimper softly.

It took a mere fifteen minutes for the two to reach the Ramsey’s. There was no surprise that Geoff, Griffon, and Gavin were standing on the curb waiting for them. The British man waved them into the driveway, which was a relief for Joel. His head was starting to hurt and vision go fuzzy again.

The three took no time to come to the aid of the other two. The older man hadn’t even turned the ignition off when his car door was being opened by the lovely Griffon. She gave soft smile, extending a hand. He accepted it with no hesitation, turning the engine off, unbuckling quickly, and pulling himself out of the vehicle. He staggered a few steps before strong arm ran about his chest and steadied him. Joel looked up to see a less-than-happy Geoff giving him a worried look.

"Were you hurt?" He asked, glancing down the length of the older man’s body.

"I guess you could call it that. I hit my head pretty on a door frame, but that’s all that’s serious," Joel shrugged, trying to play off most of the pain he was in. "Where’s Ray?"

"Gavin took him in already. The asshole put himself in a bad position," The tattooed man explained, a growl like tone residing in his voice. "Come on, Griff’ll get a good look at your head and we’ll talk over coffee."

The three moved into the house, leaving the car doors open and unlocked. They sat Joel down at the breakfast island. Griffon took no time in whipping out a first aid kit and working the man’s injuries. The older man had been relieved of his shoes and shirt, letting easy access to his helper. Each prod made him wince, but it wasn’t any worse than a sharp sting. Geoff had moved into a hall, disappearing from sight. Joel deducted that he must be checking up on Ray.

"Man, you really hit your head," The younger woman commented, walking away to wet a rag. She came back and scrubbed his neck, removing the blood that had dried. "I can’t believe you weren’t knocked unconscious." Joel gave a huff, running a hand through his messy bangs.

"Yeah, you and me both," He muttered, bringing his hands to sit on the counter in front of him. Geoff sat a mug and a handful of pills next to the older man, muttering to take them. He trotted off once more, leaving the two before Joel could even say thank you. He took the medicine and a swig of coffee, giving no shits on the fact that it was a straight brew.

Griffon finished up by placing gauze of the head wound and wrapping cloth around it to hold it in place. She then cleaned all the small scratches, examining the bruises as she went. It was also noted that he had twisted his ankle and would probably have to stay off it for a while.

When she was done, she closed up the kit and disposed of the medical waste not covered in blood. She then took out a glass dish and put all the bloody material into it. She pulled a lighter from her pants pocket, turning the wheel with her thumb quickly, igniting the wick. She touched the flame to the waste, watching it burn quickly. Joel gave her a confused look as she let go of the wheel and stored the light back in her pocket.

"The CDC goes through our garbage. We have to be careful," She said, moving towards the coffee machine. She opened the cabinet above and grabbed a mug, holding it to to the dispensers mechanism. The older man’s eyes went wide.

"The CDC?!" He blurted out loudly, jaw agape. Did he hear what he thought he heard? Griffon glanced over and gave a soft laugh, shaking her head.

"That’s right, you haven’t been caught up yet. Alright, I guess I’ll have to tell you," She commented, adding sugar and non-dairy creamer to her hot drink. She opened the drawer to her right, picking up a spoon and placing the head in the cup, closing the wooden container with her hip. Within moments she spun around, coming over and sitting across from Joel. "Did you see Ray’s eyes earlier?" Her words were slow and precise.

The elder nodded, vision trained on her. Her face was unreadable, but warm. She was obviously trying to word out whatever she was going say. With a short moment of silence and a sigh, she began.

"Even though Roosterteeth works with video games and the internet doesn’t mean that’s what we were created for. The whole of the company was created to protect the world from another realm-"

“Realm? Like, fucking doppelgangers?”

"No, they’re all their own persons. The people you saw, we call them ‘Nachts’. Not sure what they are in their world, but here, they are made from the shadows. We’re not sure how they get to this realm either. However it happens, they’re dangerous as fuck and like to fight when it’s most convenient for them. The whole reason you were attacked this morning-"

 "Was the fact that it was still dark out."

"Exactly." Griffon took a sip of her coffee, staring at the ripples flow through the beverage as the cup was brought down. "And then there is us. We are those ‘Guardian angels’ assholes told you to believe in. We protect you for nothing in return other than pain, injury, and sometimes death. Our official title is ‘Temperates’, since we kill such cold enemies; credit Burnie with that one. On top of that, we all have certain people we look over. There’s a special bond between a Temperate and their charge or charges. Geoff and I are lucky; Gavin and Millie live with us." Joel nodded slowly, studying his coffee mug. "The reason why Ray is always out is because he’s still looking for his charge, hoping the next attack will lead him to that person. Usually, each person has the other close to them in life and figure it out around twenty-five."

"Then what is Ray worrying about?" The older man asked, finding his friends frantic actions ridiculous. The women shrugged slightly, looking to the granite tabletop.

"Dunno. It might be because he feels like a late-bloomer. Gavin found his charge quickly. He and Ray work as partners out in the field so I guess it kind of reminds him of it," The blonde responded, taking another sip of coffee.  

 "Ah," Joel muttered, falling silent. His head was starting to feel better, but all this information was piling on. It need to sink in. When a five minute break passed, he started up again. "So, who’s charge is who and what’s with this power thing?" Griffon looked up and smiled brightly, obviously hoping this question would come up.

"I explain the powers first. Every person excels in some aspect or ability; and it shows through a spark of aura. Aura is the energy you give off; your spirit. It shows in different colors and ways. Commonly, someone’s eyes light up. Of course, there’s others like Gavin’s whose fingers spark with a fire-like glow. These strengths only show themselves when the person is put in a situation that forces them to use it to their advantage-After that they can use is all they want. Ray’s is all about agility. Gavin’s is the control of fire, his charge is Dan Gruchy.  Michael has strength and protects Lindsay. Ryan works with telekinetics and protects his wife and kids. Jack uses electricity and looks over Caiti. Burnie has flight and doesn’t have a living charge anymore. The others have powers, but those are easy to figure out," Griffon explained, stopping every once in awhile to let the other sink into the idea. Joel rubbed his eyes, groaning bitterly. This was becoming way too much for him.

"And what about you and Geoff?" He asked quietly. The blonde smiled, blinking slowly.

"Geoff and I have the same power, but it’s flipped. I can hear thoughts and he can speak through them. It works great when we’re separated," She answered, leaning back on her stool. “Anyways, the governemnt is out to get us so we burn any incriminating evidence.” The older man nodded, finishing his coffee in one gulp. There was a long, comfortable silence, letting Joel comb through his thoughts.

This was ridiculous. The whole company, started with his help, was all a front for a bunch of people protecting the world from another realm. It was mind boggling. This was a dream. Had to be a dream. It was too strange not to be. But, it made Ray’s injuries make so much sense. He was fighting to protect them. It also helped the fact that Geoff and Burnie didn’t seem to care; they cared, but couldn’t show it in public. Not to mention why they never took the Puerto Rican to the hospital.

Joel sighed, placing his head on the counter. There was a sinking feeling that this was going to get a whole lot worse before he figured it all out. Griffon gave an airy chuckle, coming around to lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Don’t fret. It’ll get easier," She assured, running small circles over his shirt. "I promise." The older man nodded, giving a inaudible groan. Geoff reentered, face looking aged and worn. His eyes went right to the other man, tracking his quick breathing patterns.

 "Hey, Joel," He called out, the others head popping up at his name. "Ray wants you."


	3. Chapter 3

It was a sluggish walk through the hallway. Joel shuffled to the door of the adjoining room where two voices flowed from the wooden frame. They were arguing about something-Something about movement. It was obviously Ray and Gavin, judging by the subtle accents that wafted with the words.

 

Things became quiet for a moment, queuing the older man to open the door. When he did, he was greeted with a loud complaint from the Brit. They were both sat on a full size bed, medical items splayed among the strewn sheets. It was obviously Gavin’s room by the tacky British memorabilia and photos stuck upon the walls.

 

"Hold still, you bloody pleb!" He growled, practicality sitting in the Puerto Rican’s lap. The younger was stripped of all his clothes except his boxers, revealing the ungodly site of injuries and scars. Ray’s body was covered in deep purple bruises coupled with bright red gashes. Major swelling formed around welts and scrapes, blood still dribbling from the openings. The youngest man fidgeted under his friend’s grasp, who was pinning tight bandages around the other’s chest. The former New Yorker yelped every time a tender area was lightly swiped, moving to escape the ministrations.

 

"I must’ve walked in on some X-ray and Vav ritual, huh?" Joel joked, making his appearance known. Gavin’s attention snapped to him, giving a warm smile. His green eyes were dull and tired looking, making the older man wince ever so slightly.

 

"Hey, Joel!" He piped, removing his hands from Ray. The youngest gave a huff, happy to be relieved from the necessary torture. The Brit jumped off the bed, grabbing up all the medical waste and throwing it into a plastic bag he had picked up from the floor. An uneasy silence fell between them for a moment before the sandy-blonde cleared his throat.

 

"So, uh, I’ll let you two have some alone time. Just, don’t mess with the gauze and stuff, yeah?" The foreigner said with a wink, scooping up the unused supplies and moving out the door. With a quick yank of the door handle, the door swung closed, locking mechanism clicking. The older man couldn’t even reply to the comment. Heat radiated from his cheeks for a moment. He wasn’t  _planning_ on doing anything. Besides, right now he couldn’t explore the others body like he wanted to-

 

_Oh my god, Joel. Quit thinking those things, you pervert._

 

He rubbed his face quickly, hoping to rid of the redness. Joel blinked and removed his hands, noticing how dimly lit the room actually was. The drapes on the window above the bed were shut; the only source of light being a small lamp sitting on the mahogany nightstand. It made the room feel tighter than it was. The older man’s chest tightened at the thought of it. Shaking this feeling from his bones, the elder walked over to the bedside and sat gently as to not disrupt the younger.

 

"Hey, kid," He greeted, noting the hunched position of bitterness the other had taken up. It made the elder chuckle. "Bad day, huh?" Ray was not amused.

 

"You don’t know the half of it," He muttered, making sure he didn’t make any eye contact with his friend. "Hell, I haven’t even  _gotten_ half of it yet.” A confused look crossed Joel’s face.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"I’m going to get some nasty lectures in the next two days. Between Geoff chapping my ass for getting in that situation and Griffon saying I endangered you-"

 

"Wait, you endangered  _me_? You saved me! I would’ve been killed-“

 

"You wouldn’t have been in that position if I hadn’t fallen behind in my work. You got hurt because of me. End of story."

 

"Ray," Joel said, reaching out to but a hand on his shoulder. The boy winced, shrinking away. The older man’s hand retracted immediately, mumbling apologies. The younger man sighed, shaking his head. "You didn’t hurt me. Whoever attacked us are to blame, not you. Besides, you’re the one that’s wrapped up like a fucking mummy right now." The Puerto Rican looked to his open palms, keeping silent. The older man reached out, brushing the younger’s chin to signal him to bring it back up. He did as he was told, dark eyes full of regret and pain. Joel grimaced, heart full of sympathy. "You should rest. You’ve had a long morning," The elder pressured, glancing over the bloody bandages. Ray seemed hesitant, but sunk into the comfort of the blankets none the less. The middle-aged man helped him by pulling the covers over the seemingly small gamer. Joel stood up, ready to walk away. He didn’t want to disturb him.

 

Before he could leave, however, a strong grip clasped itself around his wrist. Joel’s vision slid over to the owner of the hold. Ray’s pitiful gaze hit him, making his stomach turn.

 

"Please, don’t leave," The Puerto Rican whimpered, practically  _begging_ for the older man to stay. The actor blinked, giving a small smile and trying to hide the pain of hearing the young man’s pleas. Joel sat back down, quickly moving his hand into Ray’s, squeezing gently. The younger man let out a relieved sigh, muscles relaxing and sinking into the bed sheets. The elder chuckled, rolling his shoulders back, joints cracking multiple times. For a long time, things were quiet and calm.

 

Until the younger started fidgeting again.

 

"What’s wrong?" Joel asked, quickly figuring out that something wasn’t right.

 

"My-My back," Ray gritted out, using his elbows to leverage himself to try and dull the pain. The older man grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. 

 

"Can I do something?" He asked warily, not wanting to over step his boundaries. The gamer nodded, glancing at the actor, edging right. His breaths were ragged and labored, making Joel worry a lot more than before.

 

”Come here.” The darker gamer’s arm shot up, pulling the shirtless man down onto the mattress and under the sheets. Joel was surprised, but didn’t argue. The younger man’s body shuddered and a heart wrenching whimper escaped him. Ray continued to positioned Joel, ignoring the painful convulsions the best he could. The elder moved freely, ending up on his left side with the younger positioned up against his bare chest.

 

"Just, rub along my spine," The Puerto Rican muttered, face pressed against the others skin, drinking in the scent of expensive cologne and tantalizing wind swept skin that clung to him. The actor did as he was told, pressing soft fingers in between each disk. There wasn’t much bandaging between the boy’s skin and Joel’s fingers. He could feel the warmth of a fever and the sweat soaking through the sterile material. With his free hand, the elder ran fingers through the younger’s hair, untangling it. Ray snuggled in closer, hot and uneven exhales hit the older man’s chest.

 

It wasn’t long before the gamer’s body loosened once more and breaths evening out. He was sleeping within minutes of that, which made the middle-aged man smile. He himself started dozing off, his fingers stopped moving and fell to the sheets. Joel closed his eyes completely, falling into a comfortable sleep, held in the Puerto Rican’s embrace.

 

* * *

Gavin shuffled about in the kitchen, burning any evidence of blood or suspicious packaging. He was furious with Ray and his selfish acts and near death experience. It wasn’t even six in the morning and there were two injured. Geoff and Griffon were scrambling around calling up the others for a meeting and arranging a babysitter for Millie to go to. The Brit sighed, rubbing his eyes with his forefinger and thumb.

 

The only reason this whole thing wasn’t blowing up right then was the fact that Joel was there and the feeling of  _protection_  the Puerto Rican had for the actor held heavy in the air. Both he and Gavin knew that these feelings could be produced anytime, but not usually at this magnitude. Geoff felt it just as much as the others had and it was dangerous. It wouldn’t be long before the fact settled into all of their bones:

 

_Joel was Ray’s charge._

 

"Hey, bud," Someone greeted, snapping the dazed foreigner from his thoughts. His father like figure stood at his side, giving him an exhausted smile. "You alright?" The younger man nodded, leaning onto the counter. His back was aching from wrestling Ray into submitting to getting his wounds treated.

 

"Top," He muttered sarcastically, running a shaky hand through his sandy-blonde hair. "I’m just-worried. Ray’s in pretty bad shape and for someone whose never been in this situation, Joel isn’t fairing much better. Not to mention the mess that was caused at Roosterteeth and that the bastards  _knew_  Ray would be alone. We’re in trouble, Geoff. Big.” His words were quiet and voice cracked many times over. The older man shook his head, wrapping his arm around the lad’s shoulder.

 

"Look, Ray’s tougher than you’re giving him credit for and he’s a quick healer; he’ll be fine. Joel’ll pull through for Ray, no doubts about that. Don’t sweat it, dude. Besides, Michael, Lindsay, Ryan, Jack, Gus,  _and_  Burnie are on their way or at the police station getting this all worked out. We’ll be fine,” The army Veteran countered, reassuring Gavin as best he could. The Brit sighed, pressing his forehead to his arms. He should have been there this morning with Ray. Should’ve gotten up and taken the bus there. Maybe those nightmarish assholes would have been deterred. When the gamer stopped responding, Geoff shook his head, moving over to the breakfast island to sit at one of the stools.

 

"So how long have the two of them been asleep?" He asked, leaning back onto the granite. Gavin stood up and turned around, making eye contact with the other. "Griff said something about their thoughts becoming shallow." The Brit shrugged, glancing towards the hallway.

 

"Dunno. They stopped talking about fifteen minutes ago," He answered, crossing his arms. "If anything they curled up to each other and dozed off." The older man nodded, rolling his shoulders back, giving a slight groan. They stayed quiet for a while, glancing over each other. Both of them were tired, dark rings hovering below their eyes. Their eyes were close to bloodshot and skin pale. The silence only ended when the door bell rung, alerting the two of them.

 

"I’ll get it," Geoff said, sliding off the seat. He shuffled over to the door, listening for the voices that came through the door. The whispers were familiar, soft, silky, and then gruffer and low. He grinned, pulling open the door. A group of people stood in front of the gamer. The only female slid to the door step, giving a warm smile.

 

"Hey, Geoff," She greeted, crimson bangs hanging right above her shining eyes.

 

"Hey, Lindsay," He answered, receiving a quick hug. She sidled inside, letting the others to the door frame. Michael, Ryan, and Jack moved in, muttering hellos. The four stood in jumpsuits, obviously ready for both security detail and battle. Michael was suited in an orange and red, Lindsay in black and purple, Ryan in light blues, and Jack in a hunter green. The older man shook his head, giving a small chuckle. "I didn’t say we were going to war."

 

"But they’re starting a war. We have no idea when the attacks will happen," Ryan pointed out, words solidly spoken, emphasizing his case. Michael shook his head, standing rigid.

 

"I’m not letting those fuckers touch them again," He muttered, fists clenching. Lindsay laid her hand on her fiance shoulder, rubbing it softly.

 

"Don’t worry, it  _won’t_ happen again,” She assured, looking over to the others. “I promise.” Geoff nodded, walking into the kitchen with a signal for the others to follow. He stood at the dining room table, allowing his friends to sit down. Gavin had disappeared, probably to hang out with Millie and make her feel included. No one liked the young girl getting cornered in these situations. Even Ray, who had been given the honor of training her, kept her out of the thick of it; it was an unspoken agreement that filtered through the  _whole_ company.

 

"Alright, here’s the summary. Joel and Ray went in early to get some work done. They were suddenly attacked by Nachts using explosives and flash grenades. Both of them were injured-Ray has a few deep gashes and a dislocated hip. He’s been confined to bed for the next two to three weeks. Joel received a mild concussion with bruises and scrapes, but nothing more than that. He’ll stay here for a few days. Both will bunk here until we can confirm their apartments are safe. Burnie and Gus are working with the police to deter the media from blowing up at the scene of the attack. You four have been called in for protection. If anyone in this household leaves, they either have to have a partner or complete knowledge of where they are going and who will be around. Millie and Griffon will be staying at an aunt’s place. They’ll travel with an ol’ army buddy of mine. Got it?" The eldest man monologued, eyes glancing over the gamers, turning to each of them for confirmation. All nodded.

 

"Good. Now, for evacuation plans. If something happens, we have to split them up. Michael, Ryan, you will be taking Ray. If all goes as predicted, you will take Griff’s car. Jack, Lindsay, that means you have Joel and my car. I will be using Joel’s car and take it as a decoy. We’ll split at the fork down the road. Until you get into the city, take the most back roads you can. Once you get to the interstate, head west. We’ll meet in the town over. If I don’t make it within thirty minutes of arrival, Ryan is in charge and you will head east to Georgia where his family will load you with provisions. I don’t believe this will happen, but if it does, you  _must_ make the survival of the Achievement Hunter branch your priority. This might mean sacrificing a life or two; keep this in mind,” His voice was stone cold and heavy. He waited a moment before starting again. “Anyways, guards need to be assigned four hour intervals. They will range from six in the morning to midnight every day. After that I’ll take watch,” He finished, watching the group. They were nervous and a sullen mood fell onto everyone’s shoulders. They had had to do this once before-It didn’t end well.

 

"Who is taking first watch?" Jack asked, looking up to the Ramsey. The other shrugged, leaning onto the table.

 

"I don’t give a shit, dude. Whoever wants to can. Remember, it’s pairs," He answered, holding two fingers up at the end. The bearded man gave a curt smile to show acknowledgement.

 

"I’ll take this shift with you, Jack, if that’s alright," Ryan offered, placing both hands behind his head. The slightly younger man turned to the video editor, smile widening.

 

"Absolutely," He replied, standing up quickly, closely followed by Haywood. The two excused themselves, moving out of the room. Lindsay and Michael looked at each other, giving grins. It didn’t surprise them that these were the partners. Whether it was to let the engaged couple stay together or pairing to keep Team Deep Voice in action, it was working.

 

"Alright, now that asshole one and two are gone, you lovebirds are going to run back to your apartment and gather overnight bags. When you’re done, run to Walgreens and pick up three blowup mattresses. When those two are on duty, you two will either be sleeping, working on house chores, or training and vise versa. It’s going to be tight, but we’ll make due," Geoff instructed, gaining curt signals of agreement. They stood up almost simultaneously with Michael leading them out.

 

The older man groaned, letting his head fall limp. This was a long ordeal.  _Never_ had the Nachts attacked their base directly. Not with heavy artillery anyways.  _Everyone_ was in danger and it was absolutely nerve wracking.

 

"You’re a mess," A smooth voice teased, running their hands around Geoff’s chest. He chuckled as the person pressed their body again his back.

 

"Hey, Griffon," He greeted, giving a purr when she nuzzled his neck. She smiled, kissing his jaw.

 

"You should sleep. Millie and I aren’t leaving for another two days," She mumbled, pulling his shirt up to run her hands against his bare skin. "Besides, being Mr. Asshole isn’t going to help anybody." Geoff growled playfully, shifting up so she was laying on top of him without her feet supporting her weight. The blonde laughed, being swung around to sit lightly onto the table-top. The older man turned around to face his wife, pulling her into a passionate kiss. Her wrapped a hand around her waist and another about her neck, touch soft and caring.

 

"I can’t. Not with those two as fucked up as they are," He sighed after pulling away from the connection. Griffon frowned, shaking her head.

 

"They aren’t in a position of shock nor are they alone. There are three people here looking over them at all times; Quit worrying," She countered, draping her arms across his shoulders. "Besides, I hate for you to pull a Burnie on me and start freaking out about every little thing. Y’know, like shotgun shells."

 

Geoff gave a chuckle, leaning in to lock his arms at her sides and kiss her neck. She groaned sliding her fingers down his spine, hooking her thumbs about his underwear and pulling them slightly. She gave a giggle and let them go, enjoying the snap they gave against his skin. The Southerner shuddered, nipping at Griffon’s jaw in retaliation. 

 

"Now," She breathed, hands retreating in the older man’s scruffy hair. "Are you coming to bed or do I have to drag you there by chain and collar?" The answer was instant. Quickly, the man’s arms caved and hands sliding under her things, lifting her up and to his chest. With precise foot work, he lead them to their bedroom with mental directions from his lover.

 

* * *

Geoff stepped out of his bedroom, yawning loudly. It was half past six, time to get moving again; make dinner, have some bourbon, and fret over a bunch of assholes. The older man only had boxers and a t-shirt on, not giving a shit about it. He shuffled down the hallway, moving into the kitchen.

 

Michael, Gavin, and Lindsay sat at the island in the middle, talking to Griffon who was working efficiently at the stove with Jack’s help. Ryan and Joel sat at the breakfast bar, drinking what only could be coffee laced with Jack Daniel’s. It was a disgusting concoction the two yearned for often; why, Geoff would never know. The leader shook his head, meandering over to the injured male.

 

"Hey, Joel. How you feeling?" He asked, leaning onto the bar. The elder shrugged playing with the porcelain mug in hand.

 

"I’ve been better; been a lot worse," He answered, taking a sip of the liquid inside. The man’s eyes were blood-shot and pale, though it was expected going through a whole change of life. Hell, Geoff had passed out after a beating that consisted of light scrapes. The two were silent for a moment before Joel looked up, gaze training on the younger. "Hey, I meant to ask: How bad is Ray? I heard Griffon say something about surgery?" His voice was mellow, but clear panic was in his eyes. The Southerner sighed, running a hand through his matted hair.

 

 "Joel, it’s complicated-"

 

"How in the fuck is it  _complicated?_ Just tell me how bad he is.”

 

"He has a lot of damage. I can’t really cut out what happened toda-"

 

"God  _dammit_ , Geoff. Just.  _Fucking. Tell me._ ”

 

The whole room went silent, eyes turning to the two. Joel glared at Geoff, standing to tower over him. The leader sighed and took a step back, rolling his shoulders back.

 

"Joel, settle down because this is going to be a  _long_ explanation.”


	4. Chapter 4

"You lost three pints of blood and dislocated your hip? Are you fucking kidding me?!” Joel yelled, pacing back and forth in front of the younger male. Ray sat in Gavin’s bed, arms crossed. He had woken up only an hour ago and already receiving lectures.

     

But, it wasn’t from who he thought it would be.

"And this was only a minor fuck up for you? Bullshit, Ray, absolute bullshit!" The older man fumed, having walked miles in that small space. The two were alone spare Geoff who leaned against the locked door, working as security for both of them. In a lack for other words, there was: ‘No way in, no way out,’. Joel was droning on, irritating the youngest.

The Puerto Rican started drowning out the ridicule. It was a normal thing for him to do in this situation. At twenty-four he was being treated like a child.  when he noticed how every turn of Joel’s head made the older man wince. The younger grimaced, remembering how close to death they had been. The barrel of the gun was in his face, the trigger cocked back. He fully expected to die right then and there. Even worse, something seem to slow time down to make the whole ordeal last longer than it should have. Ray shuddered, becoming aware of how much he owed the older man his life, deciding he owed Joel at least proper attention when ranting.

"Joel-" The youngest started, but stopped when he received a glare from the other. The gamer was becoming impatient with the actor, tapping his fingers along his exposed arms. The taller figure moving was very blurry due to Ray not having time to put on his glasses because the older man came in screaming, but the younger could make out the rigid features that lay on his face. They were laced with heavy worry and pain; whether that pain was for himself or the youngest, Ray couldn’t tell.

"No. I’m done with dancing around this. You came into the office everyday with surmounting injuries that were worse than bone breaks and gashes? You’re fucking incredible, you know that? Everyday, I came in to you whining and withering because your ass decided every fucking battle was yours to handle because you wanted to find the asshole you protect regularly? Jesus fucking Christ. You were killing yourself out there for someone you probably didn’t even know. And now what? You’re stuck in bed for god knows how long because you locked me in a fucking room and wouldn’t let me help!" The actor had started rambling on and on, obviously having only one thought repeating over and over again in his mind.

      _Ray’s safety._

"Hey, that was for your own good! You were already in my way. You were concussed, scared, and not useful to anyone at that point. I told you, I put you in danger and I’m sorry. It won’t happen again," The twenty-four year old countered, glaring at the other. Geoff sighed, shaking his head slowly. The leader rubbed his face, giving a small groan. He could really use a drink right now.

"Look, Joel, this isn’t helping. He’s not going to get it and you know it," The other man encouraged, pressing a small grin to his face. There was something more behind his words which wasn’t out rightly spoken. His facial expression didn’t falter, however, when he turned to the young man in bed. "Get some rest. Joel and I have something to discuss before he comes back to watch you. Goodnight, Ray." With that, Geoff turned, opening the door and walking out swiftly.

"But that’s all I’ve been doing!" The Puerto Rican called after him, shifting the sheets as if he were ready to spring up and stop the leader. Joel threw a menacing glare in his direction and completely stopped the other. The eldest walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. The two middle-aged men were silent for a moment, as if to wind down before speaking.

"I know you’re angry, but it really isn’t his fault for jumping in like he does," The younger started, busying his hands by cracking each knuckle in turn. "When he first, uh, I guess you could call it joined, it was right after a mission that went really bad. It was pretty devastating. It was the week we spent the time off, just to finish the objective. The week after that was spent directing funerals." Geoff’s voice was wavering, baring very low and shaky tones. The older was quiet, but solemn, listening to every word carefully. The anger had been pushed to the back of his mind, letting his friend spill on what caused so much commotion."She was such a sweet thing, too. Amanda was her name. When we were planting bombs on a known Nacht site, Barbara, Amanda, and I were ambushed. My leg was shot all to hell and Barb struggled us out. We really don’t know what happened after that, but the bombs wouldn’t go off and needed to be detonated by hand. I was going to do it, but Amanda ran back in. We couldn’t grab her back in time. The bombs went off and she was gone. She was twenty-four. She hadn’t even found her charge yet. About a month after that, Ray fell into our ranks and everyone saw him as Amanda. Before you find your charge, you do outrageous fucking things, just like Amanda did and what Ray is doing now. We just-we just don’t want to lose him. Not another. Not again."

Geoff finished, face pale. Joel stood silent, taking a deep breath. It made more sense; even explaining why they were so hasty to scold the kid for his actions. The younger gave a sigh, shaking his head.

"Just, try and make sure he’s comfortable. Griff and I’ll deal with him later," He said, walking away without another word. The man left behind took in a deep breath, going through all the ordeals Ray put himself through. He was acting ridiculous, but at least it was for somewhat of a viable reason. He was a kid trying to find  _his_ _other, his place._  Joel shook his head, deciding it wasn’t worth it and walked back into Gavin’s room. His gaze fell onto the younger man sitting in bed. The Puerto Rican’s facial expression was a heavy frown, eyes full of cloudy emotion. Regret? Maybe.

"Hey, Ray," The elder greeted, walking over to the edge of the bed and sitting down. The younger moved away, distancing as much as he could without falling off the bed. Joel rubbed the back of his neck, giving an airy sigh. "Are you hungry?" The gamer shook his head, keeping his gaze down. The elder rolled his shoulders back, watching the other carefully.

He was acting as if he were in Kindergarten and broke a toy. But, there was an amount of apologetic air from the kid. He cared and that was a good thing. He was just-

Lost.

After a while, deciding that it was probably best for the two of them to eat, Joel stood up, leaving the room. He returned with two plates piled with an exceeding amount of food. Ray looked up, eyes widening at the stack of bacon and toast. Joel gave a curt laugh, placing the plates on the bedspread and sitting down gently.

"Jack went overboard," The older man tried to explain, remembering the outrageous amount of cooking the bearded man had done. The younger grinned, reaching out and grabbing piece of toast. The two ate in silence, judging each their next moves carefully. Once they both had their fill, Joel removed the plates from the bed and set them on a near-by chair. He then leaned back onto the sheets, head lying on Ray’s lap. The younger froze, not sure how to react to the movement. Not an hour ago he was being yelled at by his friend and now, he was laying on him?

"Hey, uh, Joe-" The Puerto Rican was cut off quickly.

"I’m sorry," His apology was soft and mellow, yet genuine. Ray stiffened, his gaze trained on the others eyes. "I’m sorry for everything. If I knew how deep you were in the shitstorm, I wouldn’t have pushed so hard during those dinners and lunches. I didn’t want to see you hurt like you were—are—and I thought maybe prying would help. God, I sound stupid." Joel rubbed his face, avoiding the bandages about his forehead. The younger gave a pitiful smile, hesitant fingers playing with the elder’s jet black hair.

"Does-Does it hurt?" Ray whispered, brushing over the bandages. Joel shrugged softly, a grin planted on his lips.

"Not really. Kinda slept off the pain, y’know. You?"

"S’not-Okay I’m lying right off the bat here. I’m not going go around complaining like an old man who broke his hip, but yeah, it hurts." Joel frowned, using his elbows to sit up slightly. He must have thought that he was hurting the gamer. Ray pursed his lips, tugging at the collar of the grey shirt the actor had on. It looked like one of Joel’s shirts; Lindsay must’ve picked the lock to his apartment. "I didn’t say you had to get up." The Puerto Rican rolled his eyes, giving a smile. The elder shook his head, turning ever so slightly to look up at the kid.

"So I take this is an invitation, huh?" He teased, eyes sparkling with a familiar devious Ray knew all too well. The younger gave a laugh, rubbing the other’s shoulders.

"Just lay down, asshole," The younger growled playfully. Joel slid his elbows down towards his waist, gently ending up in his original position. He gave a grin, eyes bright. He laid his hand across his midsection, giving a content sigh. The former New Yorker gave a soft chuckle, fingers lacing into the other’s hair again.

They were silent for a long time, save from the soft hum that came from the actor. The younger gamer gave a grin at how content the other was. He had fallen asleep-Eyes closed, muscles relaxed, breath even; man, it made Ray’s heart skip a beat or two.

Or, well, when hadn’t it? Joel always made the Puerto Rican feel comfortable and safe; even when he had questioned him fiercely. Every night Ray was able to spend the night at the elder’s apartment, it was warm and protected; even more so when Joel insisted the younger sleep in bed with him. God, if only he had told Joel sooner. Maybe he wouldn’t have hurt the elder so bad.

"I’m so sorry, Joel," The warrior whispered, sweeping a lock of hair from the others forehead. This was the older man’s last day as an unknowing employee. His last day to be normal. His last day to be out of harms way. And it was all because of Ray.

     Shit.

* * *

Two days later, Griffon and Millie were off. Geoff said goodbye with teary eyes and a promise that he’d be alright and pick them up soon. The Ramsey family chalked this up to another obstacle in life. As they stood at the curb in front of a small sports car with a trusted friend of the leader, the others stood at the door stoop, watching with empathy and absolute pity.

Joel stood at the back of the group, having a still weak Ray leaning on his side. The younger man had been given crutches to move around the house. Neither were able to leave the lot of land they resided at for the time being, but they didn’t really want to anyways; Things were rough all around.

Lindsay, Michael, Jack, and Ryan had set up and area to sleep in the living room.  The couch had been pushed against the wall and blow-up mattresses lined on the floor. Gavin, by respect for the comfort of both Joel and Ray, staked out on the couch, letting the other two rest in the softer bed. And Geoff—Geoff started to train them in a more militaristic way. He was short and snappy leaving the whole team stepping on eggshells. Jack decided to become a buffer, letting the others slip by with as much of a pass as he could muster.

Burnie, Gus, and Caleb had stopped by. Burnie informed them of the situation at the Roosterteeth office. Repairs were being made and they would be ‘going back to work’ in about two weeks. Gus had grumbled about something pertaining to the cops and the city of Austin. Apparently, the man had persuaded them to lift all charges and close any case they had on the situation; just like they had a year ago. Caleb was working hard on the community, squashing any accusations or conspiracies that arose.

Mock tweets and Reddit posts were being written to avoid confrontation. Most consisted of employees going on vacation or family deaths. Most fans understood and left it alone, others questioned the whole thing, but didn’t say a word, considering Caleb bribing off the more suspicious ones. It was all precise planning.

Nachts tried attacking businesses that had connections with them thinning out their security because out their locations.

And Geoff hated it all.

“Hey, Geoff, come on lets get a beer,” Jack tried to persuade, placing a firm hand on the others shoulder. The two men stood on the lawn, watching the empty asphalt road. It had been at least fifteen minutes since the leader’s family drove away. It never got any easier for the older man.

“Yeah, sure,” The Ramsey grumbled, turning to walk into the house. The bearded man shook his head, following quickly. Ryan stood at the open door, watching the elder stalk away to the kitchen and the younger trail, stopping only quickly to give a sad look to the Georgian.

Others were just as tired and upset as their leader.

They were being toyed with and it did not feel good.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be warned, there's a shitty sex scene in this chapter

The sun’s soft rays warmed his chest. His body was loose and tingly with the after effects of sleep. His shirt was soft and boxers mildly loose. Joel lay with his head on a soft pillow, arm around another being. The older man gave a small smile, noticing how calm Ray was tucked against him.

_Shit, he looks pretty._

They had grown close, the lines of friendship and romance breaking at the seams. They had even become intimate with each other’s emotions and physical interactions. [Even though they both denied it, sex was in the near future]

It had been a long two weeks since the last attack. Everyone was getting ready to go back to work. Ray’s injuries were healing nicely. He walked with a pretty distinct limp, but other than that the topical wounds were completely gone or scarred over. [Thanks to their special abilities, the healing process was incredibly fast] Joel’s migraines had subsided and other problems cleared up. Geoff had finally come to terms with the absence of his family relieving them all of the snappy, uncharacteristic leader that had been dealing with. And now they were training regularly again, which meant—

      Fuck.

The actor grimaced, reminded that he would have to start working with the others. He was nervous. All of his coworkers were fantastic at their training sessions. There was always a heavy air of competitiveness and running jokes about who was the best. Everyone gave a laugh when Joel showed any concern to it, slapping him on the back and telling him he’d be fine. Apparently, they were starting him on something easy; something fun. He groaned softly, closing his eyes again. Whatever. He’d sleep away what worry he could, for now.

* * *

 

_The air was chilly, the leaves falling off the trees, and a silence was in the air that not many got to experience. Even if the dark of the spotted sky gave a tightened atmosphere, there was something awfully empty about the area. Just a quiet suburban street. It was familiar as well._

 

_Joel stood in the middle of the road, eyes trained on the asphalt ahead of him not two hundred feet away, illuminated by a street lamp. There were two men in the middle. One was kneeling on the ground, covered in dried blood. He was shaking profusely and tears ran down his face._

 

_"Please don’t kill me. I never meant for it to happen this way," The one pleaded. His voice, Joel knew that voice—_

 

**_Geoff!_ **

 

_The other who stood above the Ramsey growled, whipping a pistol from his side, pointing it directly at the leader. He was a taller man; stock built. His face was shadowed and his body build was not familiar to Joel. He was a complete stranger willing to kill his adulthood friend; his brother._

 

**_Oh god, please don’t kill him._ **

 

_"Amanda’s dead and Barbara’s hearing is fucked over! Hell, we don’t even know if she’ll be able to hear ever again, let alone the perfect hearing she had before. And let’s not start with Amanda. No, we don’t even have her anymore," The other snapped, voice choked up._

 

_"I’m so sorry," Geoff whispered hoarsely, obviously holding back gross sobs._

 

**_No, no. This isn’t happening._ **

_The other gave a broken chuckle, pulling back the hammer on the gun. “Wrong answer.”_

 

**_No!_ **

 

_The shot rang out._

 

* * *

 

Joel sat up gasping for breath. Sweat slicked his skin as he trembled helplessly.

"Joel?" A voice called out, laced with lazy tones and hazy syllables. "Are you okay?" The older man’s gaze snapped to his left, eyes fixated on a sleepy Narvaez. Even in his dreamy state, his dark eyes flashed concern. His torso was bare and flannel pants pulled low on his hips. The elder could do nothing but stare wide-eyed at the other, still fixated in the horrific hold.

Ray shifted under the blankets, ending up next to his friend. He reached out to touch the others hand, wrapping his fingers around the elder’s palm. The actor pulled away, still not completely understanding where he was. “Joel-” Ray’s voice was firm and commanding, hazing state washing away. “Look at me.” Joel blinked, mind coming back to body.

“Ray?” He voice was distant and airy. He was still out of it way too much to form constructive thoughts, the Puerto Rican could tell. The elder had panic attacks sometimes, sure, but never like this. He’d always snap out of it when someone familiar talked to him. Ray enlaced their fingers, squeezing to remind both of them that they were there. The young gamer gave encouraging words and phrases, bringing a sense of reality to the man once more. The actor’s shakes started fading and his air intake was evening out; the signals the younger needed to start asking questions.

“Hey, are you okay? You freaked the fuck out on me. Did you have a nightmare or something?” He inquired, sitting closer to the other. Joel shook his head, giving a shaky breath. He took a moment before he spoke, ignoring the questions thrown at him.

“D-did Geoff—Did Geoff ever get shot? Right after Amanda died?” His dark eyes were still fear ridden and face pale, letting the younger become nervous for the others health. Ray shrugged, leaning on to the other. He ran soft fingers against the others pale skin.

“Not that I remember. I mean, I only got snapshots from stories, but nothing like that. Why?”

"I just—In a dream I saw someone shoot him and I—No, don’t worry about it."

"Like hell I’m not going to worry about it. You wake up jumping out of your skin! I thought you were having an asthma attack or something. You need to tell me what you saw." Joel was silent, glancing at the younger. The Puerto Rican’s facial expression was full of a pained curiosity. He couldn’t let the kid worry so hard. As Joel accumulated more time to think, he regrouped himself, losing the fear he once held.

 

The actor sighed, bringing his free hand to the others chin, pulling the other in for a soft yet deep kiss. Ray was surprised, but yet melted into the touch. The elder pressed forward, bringing the gamer to lay against the bed. His hands wandered to the others hips, straddling the skinny boy. The Narvaez broke the kiss for air, cheeks completely flushed.

             _Well, shit._

But, Ray was right. Whatever that dream meant, the others had to know. Not right now, though. Not until he knew it wouldn’t concern the others [Or, more like Ray] more than it already had.  

"It’s alright. I’m okay, trust me,"  Joel whispered, brushing his lips against the others forehead. The younger gave a sigh, pulling on the collar of his partner’s t-shirt, bringing him close for another quick kiss.

"Joel, if it happens again, please, we need to talk. It’s not good to hold shit in like that," Ray said firmly, eyes locking with his partner’s gaze. The elder nodded, giving another kiss.

As the two became more heated, Joel started trailing light nips across the gamer’s neck and collar-bone. The Puerto Rican groaned, hips rolling up in Joel’s grip. The elder smiled, moving to pull at the kid’s waist-band. He reached down to stroke the inside of the man’s thigh. Ray squirmed. “Jo—el-” His voice hitched as the others hand slid across his growing member. “Don’t tease me like this.”

The actor grinned, pulling the pajama pants off of the darker-skinned man. The other worked with him to kick the clothes off, revealing his naked figure. Joel let his gaze sweep over the scars across Ray’s frame. They were numerous; both old and new. He traced some of the newer ones, eliciting a pleasured noise from him.

The Puerto Rican grabbed at the bottom of the elders shirt, pulling it up. The lighter-skinned man slid out, tossing the article of clothing to the side. Ray relieved him of his boxers as well, watching them fall to his knees. Joel slid them off, placing himself above his partner. He stroked the younger gamer’s half-hard cock slowly and gently. The other whined again.

"Joooell," Ray complained, arching his back. "You’re doing it again. Look, there’s stuff in my bag you can use. Get it." He pointed towards a small bag next to the bed. Joel gave him a look before leaning down and opening the main flap. In a small pocket to the right of the main area was a small bottle of lube and a line of condoms. The elder gave a chuckle, grabbing the bottle and ripping off one of the square packets. He pulled up, eyes glinting.

"I guess you prepared, huh?" He snickered, popping the cap open on the bottle. He poured a healthy amount of the slick substance on his fingers. Ray blinked, watching the other work. When the elder started pressing Ray’s entrance, the younger body stiffened. Joel gave him a look, questioning the movement. "What’s wrong?"

"Joel, I’ve never done this before. I mean, girls, yeah, but never with another guy like this—" The younger trailed off, avoiding the other’s gaze. Joel smiled, shaking his head.

"I got it, don’t worry. Just follow my lead," The other comforted, placing light kisses down the younger’s shoulder. Ray nodded, finding his hands wrapping around the others shoulder-blades. Joel pressed forward, sliding in slowly. The elder was precise, working in a way that made the younger as comfortable as possible. The Puerto Rican gave soft gasps, body shaking. His muscles fluctuated with every slight movement of the other. Even with a patient Joel, he didn’t hesitate to add the second, third, and even fourth finger as he found necessary, pulling lightly and muttering calming things to the other. It didn’t help much though.

Ray was a mess already, knowing he wasn’t going to last long with these soft, tentative movements. Joel knew that. He pulled his fingers out quickly, preparing himself. He ripped the condom open and rolled it on his own member, slicking it with the leftover lubricant. He tossed the other’s ankles over his shoulders, lining himself up, and slowly pushing forward, making a mental note of Ray’s hip. The younger took a while to become used to the whole feeling, squirming in a pained-ecstasy. When he felt himself ready, he gave a curt nod. Joel started to move, hitting a fast, but comfortable pace.

For Ray, it was impossible to keep quiet. Little moans and whimpers carried Joel’s name and soft curses. Joel, on the other hand, was very quiet, busied with exploring the others body with his mouth.

When Ray hit his climax quickly, Joel knew he wasn’t far behind. He could feel the other’s muscles contract and the loud gasps echo his name over and over again put him in a tizzy. The sweat glistened and the heat made him shudder and groan into his Ray’s neck as he felt himself let go.

The older man pulled out, taking off the condom and tying it. He tossed it in a garbage can next to the bed. He moved back over quickly, calmed by the presence the younger held.

Ray looked content, eyes closed and chest moving up and down rhythmically. The elder gave a smile, pressing a lingering kiss to the others forehead. The Puerto Rican gave a grin, hands above his head in meek defeat. Joel’s hand snaked up the others arm, finding the younger’s hand and gasping it gently.

"So, what are we calling our relationship again? Friends, coworkers, partners—lovers?” Ray mumbled with a shit-eating grin.

"Smartass," Joel joked, running his hand down Ray’s back. Joel, with a quickness, flipped them over, having the younger land on him with a light thud. Ray blinked, stunned by the sudden motion. The elder laughed.

"You suck," Ray growled playfully, nuzzling into his partner’s neck. Joel chuckled, pulling the blanket over them, laying his hands on the gamer’s lower back, and running soft circles about his skin. Ray gave a relieved sigh, closing his eyes.

It wasn’t long before they were both asleep once more.

* * *

 

A few hours later, Geoff knocked on the door.

"Hey, shitheads, get showered and dressed," He called, effectively waking up the two. Joel groaned, rubbing his face. Ray gave a small sigh, finding himself placed in the crook of the actor’s arm. The younger gamer sat up, running a hand through his hair.

The two men showered quickly together. Ray was pressed to Joel’s stomach as the water flowed over both of them. After a few shenanigans, they found themselves dried and covered by towels wrapped around their waists. However, Ray’s was abandoned when they got back to the bedroom, throwing it on the floor. The actor sat back on the bed whilst the other rummaged through luggage, admiring the little imperfections on the other’s body.

"Joel," Ray called, looking over to the actor. Joel blinked, a dazed look on his face.

"Hmm?"

"Do you know where some painkillers are?"

Joel gave a confused look, snapping out of his trance. “Like—aspirin? Yeah, in the bathroom. Why do you-” He was cut off by a quick raise in Ray’s voice.

"Too much action earlier, you know. My hip hurts, that’s all. We need it for training, anyways. You’re going to feel it afterwards." Joel sighed, sitting up slowly, listening to his joints pop. Ray moved to a duffel bag on the floor. Leaning down to meddle through it, shifting his weight to his left side, avoiding putting pressure on his right. The elder watched him, a worried look crossing his face. Joel stood up and silently walked over to the gamer. He waited for Ray to stand up straight, then wrapped strong arms around his midsection. The younger looked up, giving a soft smile to his captor.

“Hi Joel.”

“Hey you. Are you sure you’re going to be fine?” He asked, bending down to slide his hands down the slightly darker man’s thighs. Ray pressed back into the other’s chest, giving an airy chuckle. “If this is what’ll happen when we have sex, I’m going to boycott it.”

“It’s alright, Joel. I’m fine. Besides, I’m not doing anything for the next week or two. Except you, but you know,” pressing kisses to Joel’s jaw. The elder gave a light purr-like sound. “You, on the other hand, are going to be working your ass off. You need a change of clothes, towels, and pain medication. Oh, we also train in those snazzy uniforms you see us in, so you need to grab that-”

“But I don’t have a uniform,” The actor interrupted, giving a look that could only be described as sad. Ray grinned, pushing Joel away.

"You didn’t have one yesterday. Today, however-" The younger gamer bent down again in a similar fashion, shuffling through the same bag’s contents. He grabbed at grey fabric, pulling it out and unfolding it. "Sorry about the colourless bullshit. We usually choose style later. Except for the pattern on the back. I like it; you’re keeping it."

It was very similar to Ray’s after bypassing the size and colour. [Or the lack thereof] It was a soft silver with smoky-grey cuffs and collar. Turning to the back, there was a pearl toned design across the upper back. It was fleur-de-lis with strong spirals running down the back. [Placed where they would lay at either side of the spine when put on] Ray passed it to Joel who took it in amidst of both pleasant surprise and excitement.

"Put it on."

Joel did as he was told, stepping back to pull a backpack out from below the bed. He opened it and grabbed up a pair of boxers and a tight fitting t-shirt. He changed into it all, spinning around to face Ray.

 

"What do you think?" He inquired, holding out his arms to his sides. The younger man’s eyes grazed across the actor’s now accentuated body. The sleeves stopped just above the elbow, creasing with each muscles flex. The pant legs stopped at his ankles, the snaps at the bottoms unhinged. The collar sat right below his jaw.

"Pretty sexy. Here, put these on under that buttons and fix that," Ray instructed, tossing thin grey socks to the other. “Then these over them.” Followed by a pair of thick, black wool socks. It took about two minutes to fix it comfortably, allowing Ray to watch, amused at his partner’s giddy movements.

“What else?” The elder asked, plopping back down on the bed. The Narvaez smiled, holding a pair of fingerless gloves and boots in hand. He walked over, placing them on the other man’s lap with a small thud.

“These,” He said, leaning in to steal a quick kiss. Joel gave a smile, pulling the gloves on. He leaned over and slid the boots on, lacing them tightly. He stood up, watching the younger man disappear into the connected bathroom with a bag. There was some noises, banging, and cursing, but Ray soon came out with a bottle of pills. He brought them to an empty bag and shoved them in. He reached over to his side and grabbed some clothes of his, shoving it in the bag as well.

“Wait, I thought you weren’t going to do anything today,” Joel said, watching as the younger worked. The Puerto Rican smiled, shaking his head.

“Shit happens,” He countered, limping over to grab an outfit from the elder’s backpack. With that, he zipped up the bag, tossing it on the bed and plopping down next to the other, leaning back onto the mattress. He stretched out, giving an arousing [or at least to Joel] groan. The man couldn’t help but notice how the kid’s skin pulled against lean muscle and the fact that he was still naked.

“You know-” Joel started, leaning over Ray. “-even if I like to see you out in the open-” His hand wandered to the gamer’s thigh, trailing ever so gently. The younger shuddered, pressing into the hold. “-the others won’t. I suggest you—Oh I don’t know—put some pants on?” Ray pouted, sitting up and crossing his arms. The elder stood up, ruffling his damp hair and walking to another bag designated as his partners. He pulled out the younger’s own dark green and black suit, underwear, a tight t-shirt, and two pairs of socks. He tossed it in the other’s direction, amused by the little huff he received.

* * *

 

After some more bickering and packing, they left the room and entered the kitchen, greeted by five similarly suited people hanging about the area. There was a large pot full of what Joel could only guess was dinner. There were two bowls on the counter with spoons sticking up. Ray grabbed one, followed by Joel grabbing the other. Inside was a mixture of oatmeal and fruits. It smelled wonderful, however it seemed like a light meal compared to the others they had indulged in.

“Hey, Ray-” Joel started, but was quickly cut off by the younger, as if he knew what the other was going to ask.

“It’s customary for every first Friday of the month to eat warm, but small. Something about eating light, I guess. Just go with it,” Ray said, shrugging it off quickly. Joel shrugged in a similar fashion, eating silently as he now, once again, tried to ease his anxieties about working with everyone. The food wasn’t bad, if he had actually tasted it.

Within another half an hour of eating and less-than-serious conversation, Geoff silenced the group with a loud and quick command.

“Alright, lets pack out!”

The group left the house and, to Joel’s surprise, piled into a dark green van he had never seen before. Geoff jumped into the driver’s seat with Jack at shotgun. Michael, Lindsay, and Ryan were sat in the second row and the last were reserved for Ray and Joel.

The ride there was incredibly loud. [And to Joel incredibly long] There were conversations about what training they were going to do that night and what goals they wanted to accomplish. Some sounded incredulous. From dropping their two mile run time to under ten minutes to learning how to find their footing in the ‘dark room’, and how to be better and quicker on the ‘high jumps’.

_What did I get myself into?_

When they pulled up to a large, grey brick, warehouse the middle-aged man gave an audible gasp. It was huge. The brick was aged and worn by the day-to-day weather. The windows were tinted and their panes a silvery white. The drum of a sizable bass rattled the air, coming from the building. Geoff parked in a parking space alongside other identical van’s. The door’s opened and everyone hopped out, allowing Ray and Joel to follow. The eldest stood outside the car, body numbing.

_This is it._

“Ready?” Ray asked, prodding the elder’s side with his elbow. Joel looked over, giving a hesitant smile. If Ray believed in him, then he should believe in himself.

“Yeah.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Super Heroes is being rewritten! Go Here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/2616413/chapters/5832833

http://archiveofourown.org/works/2616413/chapters/5832833


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